Baby pen



Dec. 21, 1954 A. D. MCKINNEY 2,697,478

BABY PEN Filed May 11, 1955 /0 /0 I2 I T 2; H, 4 4

lm-z/vro/a ARTHUR D. HKINNET ///6 m TOI NC-K United States Patent BABY PEN Arthur D. McKinney, New York, N. Y.

Application May 11, 1953, Serial No. 354,207

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-95) The present invention relates to improvements in a baby pen wherein a frusto-conical housing, having an inwardly curved annular flange around the upper edge thereof, operates in conjunction with a frustoconical tub rotatably mounted upon resilient ball bearings within said housing for rotation in a horizontal plane therein, and having its upper edge extended into said annular flange, whereby an infant within said tub, by grasping said annular flange of the stationary housing and entering energy thereto, by reaction may rotate and also assist itself in learning to stand, together with an annular tray having an outer flange, and an inner flange adapted to detachably engage said annular flange of the housing, whereby food, toys, and the like on said tray easily may be rendered accessible to said baby.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved baby pen having improved means adapted to assist an occupant, with little effort, to partially rotate and amuse its little self.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved article of the character set forth having improved means adapted to virtually prevent tipping of the device by an occupant thereof.

A further object is to provide a new and improved device of the type described having improved means adapted to facilitate transportation thereof and to accessibly retain toys and the like within reach.

The invention comprises the improved baby pen disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application, and in which- Figure 1 is a partly broken side elevation, partly in vertical section, of the device, and

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 2 is used to designate in general a preferably frusto-conical, opentop housing having an annular ball race 4 in the bottom thereof and an inwardly curved annular flange 6 around the top edge thereof adapted to virtually enclose the top edge of a preferably frusto-conical tub 8 within said housing 2 and having an annular ball race 10 in the bottom thereof seated upon resilient ball bearings 12, such as hollow tennis balls or solid rubber balls, running within the lower ball race 4 of the housing 2.

A preferably flexible textile seat, formed of two crossed bands 14, having hooks 16 on their opposite ends adapted to engage slots 18 within the sides of said tub 8, operate to provide a plurality of leg holes and a comfortable seat readily accessible from virtually all sides for placing an infant, as disclosed in elevation in dotted lines in Figure 1.

An annular tray 22 is provided with an inwardly curved annular flange 24 made to be lightly sprung into detachable engaging relation with the annular flange "ice 6 of the housing 2, said tray 22 being also provided with an outer annular flange 26, of the same diameter as the diameter at the bottom of the housing 2, thereby serving the double purpose of retaining an infants toys and the like within easy reach or constantly accessible to an occupant of the baby pen, and also to serve as a rim with the larger diameter of the housing 2 when upended on one side, to facilitate a rolling transportation pi said baby pen as through a narrow doorway or the A preferably removable limiting stop 28 is provided on the housing 2 and arranged to engage a similar limiting stop 30 on the outer side of the tub 8, whereby rotation of said tub 8 may be limited to a single rotation in either direction, to prevent an infant from becoming dizzy, or vertiginous, from a too constant rotation of the tub 8 in one direction.

In operation, with or without the seat 14, an infant within the tub 8 will naturally grasp the stationary annual flange 6, or flange 24, so that reaction from any slight movement of said infant will tend to partially rotate said tub and infant, and also to assist in walking, when the seat is removed. Or, he may pull himself around, if not yet walking, to a toy or other article slightly beyond reach on the tray 22.

The provision of the resilient ball bearings 12 provides a silent as well as a resilient bearing for the tub 8, adapted to partially absorb shock should an occupant, when the seat is absent, suddenly sit.

It should be particularly noted that the provision of a frusto-conical housing with frusto-conical tub provides a baby pen having a broad base which, combined with a low center of gravity, is adapted to materially resist inadvertent tipping of the baby pen when it is occupied.

It also should be noted that the curved annular flange 6 will operate to cover the top edge of the tub 8, and thereby prevent an infants fingers from being caught, and possibly injured, between the said top moving edge of the tub and the stationary housing.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A baby pen comprising a circular housing having an open top and an inwardly curved annular flange around said open top, and an annular ball race in the bottom thereof; a circular tub mounted within said housing, and having its top edge enclosed by said annular flange, and an annular ball race in the bottom thereof; resilient ball bearings mounted within said ball races and adapted to rotatably and resiliently support said tub within said housing; and a limiting stop on said housing adapted to limit rotation of said tub therein to a single rotation of said tub.

2. A baby pen comprising a frusto-conical housing having an open top and an inwardly turned annular flange around said open top; a frusto-conical tub rotatably mounted within said housing for horizontal rotation and having its upper edge extended into said annular flange; and an annular tray having an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of said frusto-conical housing, detachably mounted upon said annular flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,313,330 Pocock Aug. 19, 1919 2,307,897 Overholser Jan. 12, 1943 2,356,817 Breckenridge et a1. Aug. 29, 1944 2,361,266 Clark Oct. 24, 1944 

